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A final with purpose

Shiner, Bosqueville resume rivalry in Class 1A title game

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  • COY SLAVIK - Advocate Sports Editor
  • Originally published May 30, 2008 at 10:54 p.m., updated May 30, 2008 at 10:54 p.m.

One thing is for sure - the Shiner Lady Comanches and Bosqueville Lady Bulldogs won’t meet next year for the Class 1A softball state title.

That’s because Bosqueville will rejoin Shiner in Region IV for the 2009 and ’10 seasons after spending two years in Region II.

So today at 8:30 a.m. at McCombs Field in Austin, the Lady Comanches hope to end one of the state tournament’s biggest rivalries on a happy note.

Shiner has had 365 days to digest its heartbreaking 4-1 loss to Bosqueville in last year’s championship game. Not many of those days have gone by without Raygan Feight’s game-winning grand slam in the sixth inning replaying in the Lady Comanches’ minds.

“We’re two great teams,” Bosqueville coach Clint Zander said. “We know each other pretty well. It should be an exciting day.”

This is the third straight year the two teams have met in the postseason. Shiner ousted Bosqueville in the 2006 Region IV final before the two faced each other again in last year’s state title game.

The teams will both be missing only one starter from last year’s game. Feight played this season at McLennan College and is now a Texas Longhorn. The Lady Comanches lost only catcher Maci Schaefer to graduation.

“They’re almost the same team they were last year and we’re almost the same team we were last year,” Shiner coach Brandon Siegel said. “Both teams know what it takes to get it done.”

Both teams used big innings in Thursday’s semifinals to reach today’s final.

Bosqueville (25-7) overcame a 2-1 deficit with a four-run fifth inning to beat Clyde Eula 5-3. Shiner (23-6) sent 12 batters to the plate in an eight-run fourth inning to blow open a 2-1 game and take an 11-1 victory over Maud.

Bosqueville regularly uses two pitchers and did so Thursday. Michelle Miller (12-1) got the start, but Ashley Barnes (12-6) tossed the final three innings to record the victory.

“We’re going to have to be patient at the plate and make their pitchers throw a lot of pitches,” Siegel said.

Shiner will go with Heather Haas (23-5), who surrendered no earned runs and struck out five in her five innings of work Thursday.

“The team that makes the least mistakes will come out on top,” Siegel said.

Shiner went through a light practice Friday morning before heading back to Austin in the afternoon. Four seniors remained in Shiner to attend the school’s graduation ceremonies Friday night. The four seniors will rejoin the team in time for today’s game.

None of the seniors are starters.

“Not one of the (underclassmen) batted an eye when I told them we were leaving at 2 p.m. (Friday) and they would not be able to go to graduation,” Siegel said.

“They are extremely focused. I don’t foresee anything else on their mind.”



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